Chapter 2- The Orange Crystal
Tails woke up early to work on his plane. He had plans to make it transform into other vehicles. Using a Chaos Emerald as an extra power source made his contraption work twice as fast. He had planned hard to make his plane transform into a boat and maybe even a submarine.
His work on the Tornado Two took nearly five hours, but he finally was complete with his work. Tails ventured over to his desk and pulled a case from a drawer. Smiling to himself, Tails returned back to his plane. He then opened the case and reviled a large sparkling Dark Blue Gem.
" I hope one Chaos Emerald is enough" Tails mutter to himself as he placed the emerald in its place on the place." If not, I'll have to search for another emerald!"
Tails jumped into the pilots seat and grabbed onto the control stick. " I can't wait till Sonic sees my hard work!" He cheered as he eased the plane out of his workshop and into the blue sky.
The residents of Station Square were already awake and going about their daily business. Cars were busy on the streets, people walking aimlessly down the streets, shops open for business, and one dingo Cabdriver was utterly disturbed.
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"Alright, when I said I'd allow Nike to sleep at my apartment, I didn't mean you could sleep over as well!" Harry growled when he saw Sonic fast asleep on his couch.
" Aw, come on, Harry" Yawned Sonic." It was only for one night"
" You broke into my apartment, raided my refrigerator, shattered my glass door, destroyed my closest just for a lousy blanket and pillow, watched television all night, and woke me up fifteen times!" Complained the dingo." I feel transgressed and violated!"
Sonic only smiled." Just livin' the American dream"
Harry sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead." When will you lot ever learn?" he muttered.
Sonic opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he heard a moan coming from the guest bedroom of the apartment, Harry heard it as well. They both got up and ran to the room where the young alien girl slumbered.
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"Everything seems to be going well," Tails said to himself.
He adjusted to ships longitude and flew closer to the water. " Now to see if all goes according to plan".
Tails reached to the side of the seat and grabbed a lever, he jerked it upwards and held his breath. The plane rattled a little bit, then began to transform! The wings of the ship bent in the middle and folded in, the nose of the ship opened and then it happened. " No No No!" Tails gasped.
The plan's main controls crashed, and wouldn't operate like it should have. Tails pushed the lever back down and hoped everything would return back to its normal function, but it didn't. He tried to see if the control stick would work. The ship managed to lean in the direction of a deserted island. The alarms inside the plane rang in Tails' ears as the heat of the engine rose to a dangerous temperature. A thin line of sweat trailed down the side of his face as he drew near the island, immediately he pulled up another lever and was flung into the air.
Tails watched helplessly in the air as his beautiful Tornado Two crashed onto the Island and soon burst into flames.
"All my hard work" He sighed deeply.
Three hours passed, soon all that was left of the plane was a large pile of ash. Tails sat near the shore of the Island, and threw small pebbles into the water. He looked out into the horizon, the never-ending sea. Then, a poem popped into his head.
From the Mists of Time, Cobalt Isle will ShrineWith the stories your elders unfold, will tell that we have hearts of gold
The travelers come for the treasure here, that has left us in toil and fear
They come with guns and knives in hand, killing us have been their plan
The Gem was placed in the cave, before we knew it, we were saved.
So think of us long enough to make a memory, and wait for years to come, and we will return.
" That last line doesn't rhyme at all" Tails sighed and jumped to his feet." Yet, I don't understand what the poem is about"
As he thought about the poem, he began to walk around the small island and tried to figure out what direction Station Square is. From the mists of time, Cobalt Isle will shine. Tails repeated the first line three times in his head. He remembered years ago, before he met Sonic, when he heard some kids his age chant that poem whenever they were near the shore.
" I bet I'll find Cobalt Isle first!" One kids said." Then I'll collect all the gold coins there and the Gem!"
" Not if I find it first!" said another.
Tails stretched and looked out to the sea. "Cobalt is just a myth!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, remembering the kids who would constantly taught him. " EVERYONE OF YOU ARE STUPID!"
Tears began to stream down his face. He wished Sonic was with him, but he had to accept the fact that he was stranded on a deserted Island.
"Don't cry, small one," Said a squeaky unknown voice.
Tails' ears perked up as the sound of the voice, he winced around hoping to see someone, anyone! But he only saw a small light Blue Chao with darker shades of blue on its hands, feet and head. It smiled at him with glittering blue eyes.
" Did…" he paused." Did you just talk to me"?
The Chao giggled." Of course I did!" Its mouth didn't move, yet Tails heard the voice clearly." You looked lonely, so I came to join you!"
Tails gave a large gasp and jumped away from the Chao. " I'm dreaming, I must be dreaming!" He began to panic. "Chao can't talk!"
" I'm not talking, I'm speaking to you telepathically," The small Chao explained." All Chao can do this on Azora"
" Azora?" Tails repeated.
" Yes," The Chao nodded." It's where I was born and adopted by Nike"
" Nike?"
Again the Chao nodded and lifted its head up reveling a pink collar around its neck, dangling from the middle of the leather was a golden name tag with the name "Serenade" written on it.
" You're not rabid are you?" asked Tails.
Serenade shook its head." No, I'm not," it smiled." Can you take me to Nike? I miss her dearly"
" I wish I can, but Station Square is far away, and I'll get tired if I fly"
The small Chao only smiled." Not a problem at all"
Serenade turned on its heal and skipped over to a patch of ferns an pulled out an Orange Crystal from the large green leaves.
" What's that?" asked Tails.
" This is a Star Crystal!" Serenade chirped." It's a powerful gem that was given to Azora as a present!"
Tails reached out a took the gem from Serenade. " Each one of the eight gems has a special ability depending on the color. Orange is for flight!"
" So, I'll never get tired flying while holding this?" Tails asked eagerly.
" That's a rough translation," answered Serenade. "By the way, what's your name?"
" I'm Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails"
Serenade quickly bowed its head." It's a pleasure meeting you, Tails"
With that, Tails immediately sped over to the remains of the Tornado Two and fished out the Chaos Emerald from the pile of ash. He figured Station Square was east of the island he was on. After explaining his plan with his new friend, Tails spun his two tails like a helicopter and took off into the air with Serenade. He felt the power of the Crystal melt into his body as he flew higher into the air. "I bet I can fly higher," He thought to himself. He spun his twin tails harder and ascended higher into the sky.
" Tails, don't fly too high," warned Serenade." You can't breathe outside the atmosphere of the planet, remember?"
Tails stopped and started to fly forwards instead of upwards." Sorry 'bout that, it's just I've never flown that high before"
" Don't worry, if you had that black crystal you could breathe in open space" Serenade giggled.
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Nike's P.O.V.
Try to remember! Who am I? I'm Nike Ann Navora! The eight crystals, they must be protected, but where are they? I can feel their force in my fingers. Now I remember! I was flying through space with them in my Backpack; a meteor struck me before I reached the planet that closely resembled mine. That explains the pain on my side. When I woke, I found myself in a beautiful jungle. I was lost for several hours, but I eventually found a ladder that left far above the trees and I could see everything. No use trying to fly, I tried earlier and failed. Then I found a tunnel that led out to this field called The Mystic Ruins. Now what? A man who looked like a crystallite confronted me, but he was fully fleshed. He claimed to be a good emperor of this "Eggman Empire", but I saw his black aura as he lied to me. He seemed to notice that I wasn't fooled by his lies, and attacked me! Man! My head sure hurts! But where am I now? My surroundings feel warm and soft. Can I possibly be his prisoner? Or was I saved?
I must wake now if I'm to find out my fate. Ar-Hai, please protect me!
" She's coming to," Harry announced.
Sonic and Harry leaned over Nike and watched her as she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a couple times and moaned sickly.
" Hey there miss!" Sonic chirped." Nice to know you're still alive!"
Nike rubbed her eyes and sat up. Her large eyes searched the room with curiosity and fear. "Where am I?" she asked softly.
" You're in my spare room," Harry said and shot a nasty look at Sonic. " Sonic brought you here"
" Sonic?" she repeated." Who's Sonic?"
" I am!" Sonic said." I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! Welcome to Earth!"
" Earth?"
" It's a long story" Harry said." Sonic rescued you from Eggman"
" You did?" Nike glanced back at Sonic, who nodded arrogantly.
" Wasn't nothing at all, ol' Egg-Head is nothing but talk these days" Sonic chuckled." But sadly he still has one of your Crystals"
" What? H-h-How do you know about the Star Crystals?" Nike asked anxiously.
" His girlfriend found one of your crystals earlier and saw a vision about your planet, Nike" Harry added.
Nike looked a Harry." You know my name as well?"
Harry shrugged." Guess one vision was all we need to know about you"
Nike nodded and sighed." He doesn't deserve the Crystal" She started." The green crystal up-grades intelligence, and for the time I saw him, I already figured out he was an evil genius! Just imagine what he could do with the Green Crystal!"
" Knowing Eggman, he's probably up-grading his robots! And you're the prime target" Sonic said pointing to Nike. "He knows about the prophecy of your people"
" That, or he's trying to hack into a college computer so he can steal the answers to the SAT-9 questions" Harry joked. "That's what I'd do if I had the crystal"
Both Harry and Sonic laughed. Nike's attention soon ventured outside. She crawled off the bed and walked out onto the balcony. The two males noticed this; they followed her onto the balcony. They stood on either side of her and waited for a response from the alien.
" I feel it," She whispered.
" Feel what?" Sonic asked.
Nike's hand flew forward, Sonic followed the direction of her finger; it pointed directly to Amy's apartment.
" Oh course!" Sonic slapped his forehead." Amy's keeping you pink Star Crystal safe with her"
" Is she you're 'girlfriend'?" Nike asked, a bit hesitant on her new word.
" Girlfriend!" Sonic jumped." No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! "We're just friends!"
Harry rolled his eyes.
" Either way, we need to stop Eggman!" Sonic said, slamming his hand on the rail." Do you know any way to reverse the effect of the Crystals in case Eggman does get your crystals?"
Nike opened her mouth to give her answer, but she stopped, her eyes saddened and she slowly closed her mouth and shook her head." I…I don't know" She said.
" You don't know!" Sonic yelled." It's official! We're doomed!"
" Forgive me, Sonic" Nike said." I just can't remember anything about…Well…. anything referring to my home planet or the prophecy"
" We're doomed," Harry repeated.
There was a long pause between the trio.
"Would your memory return if you have all the Crystals back?" Sonic eagerly asked.
Nike paused for a while, she thought for a while before nodding. A smile appeared on Sonic's face." I'll be back before you can remember your mother's name!"
In a flash, Sonic took off. He jumped from the balcony and speed down the building with unmatchable speed. Nike watched with amazement as a tail of fire marked the path in which the hedgehog traveled.
" Wow!" She said." He's faster then a rampaging Iron Skull Rhino!"
" You'll get use to it," Harry sighed.
Silence. Nike nervously stood there in the sunlight of the morning sun waiting for Harry to say something; he didn't say a word.
" So," Nike turned to him with anxious eyes." What's your name? Where are you from? What's your favorite color? Would you like to be my friend?" she asked in one full sentence!
Harry flinched, but he was able to catch exactly what she asked him. Reluctantly he answered, " My name is Harry, I come from Earth, My favorite color is blue, and yes, I'd like to be your friend"
A giddy smile stretched across Nike's face and she giggled with delight. Harry's left ear lowered." How do I get myself stuck in these things?" He thought to himself.
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Tails soared over Station Square, he giggled to himself with the record timing it took for him to get there. He landed on the roof of a building.
" I wonder where Sonic is," He said to Serenade." I need to tell him about the Star Crystals"
" I sure he's around here somewhere" Serenade assured him.
Again Tails took off into the air, Serenade behind him. The streets below were full of cars, but no sign of his buddy. He searched the streets, and through the alleys of the buildings.
Tails was about to give up when he caught the glimpse of a blue blur. Immediately Tails flew after him, his speed seemed to have improved as he flew faster and faster after his friend. Within a few minutes, Tails was flying above Sonic's head.
" Sonic!" Tails called out.
Sonic gasped and came to a complete stop, as did Tails.
" Tails," Sonic whispered." Since when could you fly as fast as me?"
Tails immediately showed Sonic his new treasure.
" It was this crystal, Sonic!" said Tails." It improved my flying abilities! Now I won't get tired after flying for a some time!"
" Tails," Sonic paused." You do know that that crystal belongs to someone else, right?"
"Who?"
" It's protector" Sonic answered." She needs that crystal more then anything"
" But Sonic," Tails whined." Can't I at least hang onto it for a little while longer?"
" 'Fraid not buddy," Sonic said." Eggman wants the crystals too, and she's the only one who can protect them better then we can"
" And that person is Nike Navora!" Serenade called out.
Sonic winced around just in time to see Serenade fly past him and to Tails' side. Serenade bowed its head to Sonic.
" Hello!" It chirped." My name is Serenade, I belong to Nike"
Sonic was speechless.
" Long story" Tails chuckled.
" You can tell me while heading to Amy's place," Sonic said, reluctantly giving Serenade a pat on the head." She has a crystal too, and Nike needs the information"
